The benefit to all their battles is a sense of familiarity forged from years of white-hot competition. With Hamilton set to return for Tuesday's exhibition against Scott Skiles' Bucks after getting Saturday night off, look for the chemistry to continue.

"When we first saw each other, we were like, 'Man, it's nice to finally be on the same side,'" Hinrich said. "And it's been a pretty seamless transition so far. When he's coming off screens, it's real easy to read what he's going to do just from playing against him so many times.

"We talk out there about little things we see as the game or practice is going on. We talk about things that will be there offensively based on how we're reading the defense. It's been fun."

In his first two games before his night off, Hamilton averaged a team-high 11.5 points on 50 percent shooting. Several of his baskets have been set up by Hinrich, who is averaging a team-high six assists.

The peaceful pairing makes their heat-of-the-battle past feel like ages ago. Hamilton got ejected from one regular-season game in Auburn Hills, Mich., during the Bulls-Pistons rivalry and even exchanged words with Skiles once when Skiles coached the Bulls and had Hinrich's back.

One of the dominant images of the 2007 second-round playoff series when the Pistons eliminated the Skiles-coached Bulls is of Hamilton and Hinrich getting entangled multiple times after the whistle.

"Every time I played against him, he never backed down," Hamilton said. "You gain respect for that. I told (Bulls management): 'You should go after Kirk. He's a guy who can help us right now.' It's good to have him on the same side."

Much of the talk following the Bulls' first three exhibitions is how rejuvenated Hinrich has looked in averaging 11.3 points and posting four steals and four blocks in addition to his team-high assists average. But Hamilton ran the floor in equally spry fashion before his one-game rest, scoring often on fast-break opportunities and pull-up jumpers.

The game-changing, 14-0 run to open the second half in the exhibition opener against the Grizzlies featured Hinrich feeding Hamilton twice for layups off defensive stops.

"Kirk knows how to play," Hamilton said. "He really makes my job easy. When I run up the floor, he tries to get the ball to me early so I can try to make a play for myself or a teammate. He's smart."

Both players will need to put recent injury issues to rest for good to continue this success story. Hinrich is less than a year removed from surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. And Hamilton's first campaign with the Bulls featured him wearing a suit on the bench as often as his trademark mask.

But if this backcourt can stay healthy, the considerable absence of Derrick Rose can be lessened slightly.

"We just want them to keep doing what they're doing," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Both of them are very effective players."

After affecting each other for so many seasons, the Bulls hope their effect on this season is a positive one.